Narrative:

After landing sfo, the left air-conditioning pack cooling fan circuit breaker popped, thus no cooling, and the pack overheated and subsequently shut down. But before shutting down, the extremely hot air produced smoke in the cabin/cockpit. I used the PA to keep the people seated and told them that the smoke was coming from an overheated air-conditioning unit, and that we shut the unit down. The smoke began to dissipate. I continued to the gate. Several passenger were very concerned that the smoke was toxic, and let me know that I should have done more to protect their breathing environment. (Air-conditioning smoke is not toxic. It is a product of heated moisture and perhaps residual oil.) several passenger felt I should have reassured them that the smoke was not toxic. We were very busy in the cockpit, taxiing and running regular and irregular checklists that I didn't think it was important enough at that time to be talking on the PA. I really think that some of the flying public make up their own conclusions as to what they experience in our environment, and it probably doesn't matter what my explanation of the situation is. If they believe the smoke was toxic, then it was toxic in their minds. There was nothing I could do or say at the time to reassure these people that I was doing the safe course of action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LGT ON TAXIING TO THE GATE EXPERIENCED THE PACK COOLING FAN CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIP INDUCING HOT AIR AND SMOKE INTO THE CABIN.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG SFO, THE L AIR-CONDITIONING PACK COOLING FAN CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED, THUS NO COOLING, AND THE PACK OVERHEATED AND SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT DOWN. BUT BEFORE SHUTTING DOWN, THE EXTREMELY HOT AIR PRODUCED SMOKE IN THE CABIN/COCKPIT. I USED THE PA TO KEEP THE PEOPLE SEATED AND TOLD THEM THAT THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM AN OVERHEATED AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT, AND THAT WE SHUT THE UNIT DOWN. THE SMOKE BEGAN TO DISSIPATE. I CONTINUED TO THE GATE. SEVERAL PAX WERE VERY CONCERNED THAT THE SMOKE WAS TOXIC, AND LET ME KNOW THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE TO PROTECT THEIR BREATHING ENVIRONMENT. (AIR-CONDITIONING SMOKE IS NOT TOXIC. IT IS A PRODUCT OF HEATED MOISTURE AND PERHAPS RESIDUAL OIL.) SEVERAL PAX FELT I SHOULD HAVE REASSURED THEM THAT THE SMOKE WAS NOT TOXIC. WE WERE VERY BUSY IN THE COCKPIT, TAXIING AND RUNNING REGULAR AND IRREGULAR CHKLISTS THAT I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH AT THAT TIME TO BE TALKING ON THE PA. I REALLY THINK THAT SOME OF THE FLYING PUBLIC MAKE UP THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS AS TO WHAT THEY EXPERIENCE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND IT PROBABLY DOESN'T MATTER WHAT MY EXPLANATION OF THE SIT IS. IF THEY BELIEVE THE SMOKE WAS TOXIC, THEN IT WAS TOXIC IN THEIR MINDS. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO OR SAY AT THE TIME TO REASSURE THESE PEOPLE THAT I WAS DOING THE SAFE COURSE OF ACTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.